The invention relates to a method of operating a laundry treatment apparatus comprising at least one variable speed motor unit.
EP 1 760 184 A2 discloses a method of controlling a motor unit of a washing machine. In case that a high speed rotation of the motor unit is required, the motor unit is operated in a three phase mode for a specified period to get a lower noise, and in case that a low speed rotation is required, the motor is operated in a two phase mode at least for a specified period to get a higher torque.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method of operation a laundry treatment apparatus.
According to an aspect of the invention, a method of operating a laundry treatment apparatus, in particular a washing machine, a laundry dryer, a heat pump laundry dryer or a washing machine having a drying function is provided. The treatment apparatus comprises a control unit controlling the operation of the treatment apparatus, a laundry treatment chamber for treating laundry, a detector unit for detecting at least one operation parameter of the treatment apparatus, and a first variable speed motor unit adapted at least to drive the treatment chamber. The first motor unit may be adapted to drive additionally a process air fan unit for circulating process air through laundry treatment chamber. Alternatively or additionally a compressor is provided having a second variable speed motor unit for circulating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of the laundry treatment apparatus.
The method comprises selecting a predetermined power supply modulation mode for operating the first and/or second motor unit in dependency of the at least one detected operation parameter of the treatment apparatus. Subsequently the first and/or second motor units are operated in an operating cycle by applying or executing the selected predetermined power supply modulation mode.
When using a variable speed motor unit, a considerable amount of heat may be generated on an inverter board adapted to control the motor speed. A motor control power module may have to dissipate heat in the order of tens of Watts. Heat dissipation may be provided by a heat sink formed e.g. as an Aluminum finned block attached to the inverter board. This could be critical when confined spaces do not allow mounting of an inverter board having a well dimensioned heat sink. An even more critical situation may occur in a laundry dryer, where the temperature of the ambient where the motor control is installed could reach and exceed 60° C. Thus it is desirable to reduce or limit heat generation during apparatus operation.
Depending on the applied operation mode, heat generation on an inverter board may be reduced during apparatus operation. Thus, by adapting the modulation mode and thereby the amount of heat generated during operation of (one of) the first/second motor unit, an improved method of limiting electronic board/components temperature during apparatus operation is provided. In particular, the above described method provides that the operation mode of at least one of the first or second motor unit is adapted to the present requirements or state (detected by the operation parameter) of the treatment apparatus.
The first and/or second variable speed motor unit can be operated in at least two operation modes which are different from each other. The ‘different’ from each other does not relate to different motor speeds that are controllably adjusted, but to different characteristics of applying power from the electronic board/inverter to the motor—which are for example ‘different’ although the motor speed set by the control are the same. More preferably the at least two operation modes are different in such a way that the energy loss in the electronic board/inverter supplying the power to the motor is different in a first operation mode and in a second operation mode. For example the energy loss has a first value in the first operation mode and the energy loss has a second value in the second operation mode which is lower than the first value. And/or variations of the motor torque (and thus operation noise emission) is lower in the first operation mode than in the second operation mode. Preferably the first and second operation modes are PWM modes having different control characteristics.
For example the at least one operation parameter may be detected repeatedly during apparatus operation, such that the power supply modulation mode is continuously adapted to the present state of the apparatus. Alternatively the at least one operation parameter is detected only at the beginning or start of an apparatus operation cycle wherein the power modulation mode selected in the following may be applied throughout the executed operation cycle, e.g. drying cycle. For example a detected operation parameter may be a drying program option button (e.g. “ECO”) which is pushed by a user. Subsequently, an energy-saving power supply modulation mode may be selected in the case of selected option “ECO” which is applied throughout the selected and executed apparatus operation program.
Another example for the at least one detected operation parameter is an on-board temperature of a drum drive electronic board or compressor electronic board, i.e. an electronic board comprising the inverter. In particular the operation parameter may be a combination of the on-board temperature of the first motor unit (drum drive) electronic board and the second motor unit (compressor) electronic board (or of another two electronic boards). For example the detected operation parameter is the higher or rated higher temperature of the drum drive and compressor electronic board or is weighted temperature value of the drum drive electronic board and compressor electronic board. E.g. (a*T_compressor+b*T_drum motor)/2 with a+b=1.
For example motor control may be implemented using a three-phase inverter which allows a high motor efficiency. An inverter motor control is able to drive a motor using different signals that depend on the modulation mode used by the control algorithm to apply the power to the motor. In order to vary the motor speed, a three-phase inverter comprises six switches that can be driven according to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) technique. A PWM signal is a squared wave having a variable duty cycle. ‘Duty cycle’ is defined as the proportion of switch ‘ON’ time to the regular interval or ‘period’ of time. Preferably at least two predetermined modulation modes which are different of each other are available for driving at least one of the first and second variable speed motor unit.
Preferably a selectable first power supply modulation mode is a continuous PWM mode and a selectable second power supply modulation mode is a discontinuous PWM mode. Alternatively a first power supply modulation mode is a PWM mode in which the pulse modulation results in essentially a continuous power supply to each of the motor windings and a second power supply modulation mode is a PWM mode in which the pulse modulation results in temporal discontinuities in the power supply to at least one or each one of the motor windings.
Continuous PWM modulation allows creating a better current waveform for the motor unit, with a reduced harmonic content over the fundamental at the cost of a greater power heating dissipation on inverter components.
Discontinuous PWM modulation, conversely, can significantly reduce the heat produced (and consequently also the dimensions of the heat sink needed) but it introduces motor noise and a certain amount of harmonic content that can imply on a not perfectly sinusoidal current and consequent torque ripple on the motor, i.e. a periodic increase or decrease in output torque as the output motor shaft rotates. When a motor unit is operated by discontinuous modulation, the reduction of heat produced by the inverter is due to the fact that each switch stays closed for a longer time compared to the continuous modulation. Since the power losses are due to current conduction across the switch plus the losses due to the OFF/ON and ON/OFF commutation of the switch, when a discontinuous modulation is operating, the commutation losses are reduced compared to the continuous modulation and therefore the overall power losses are reduced. The theory shows how discontinuous modulation allows reducing heat dissipation need till a 50%. Thus the apparatus energy efficiency can be increased by selecting a predetermined modulation mode in dependency of the detected operation parameter. Further, by operating the first and/or second motor unit in discontinuous modulation mode heat generation during apparatus operation is reduced. Consequently heat dissipation means like a heat sink may be smaller which saves space in the apparatus housing.
If the treatment apparatus is directed to a heat pump laundry dryer, the (compressor) second variable speed motor unit circulates a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of a heat pump system of the heat pump dryer, wherein the refrigerant loop comprises: an expansion device, a first heat exchanger, the compressor and a second heat exchanger.
Preferably a first modulation mode is selected when the apparatus operation parameter is below a first threshold value and a second modulation mode is selected when the apparatus operation parameter is equal to or higher than the first threshold value. For example, if the operation parameter is less than the first threshold value, the first and/or second motor unit is driven through usual continuous modulation mode, whereby torque ripple on the motor is prevented and less noise is generated during operation. In case the detected operation parameter exceeds the first threshold value, the first and/or second motor unit is driven using discontinuous modulation. In this case the aim is to reduce heat dissipation need and to avoid, or at least delay the need of activating an optional cooling fan. When using the discontinuous modulation the noise of the motor increases a little bit, but in this way an optimum energy performance of the apparatus is ensured.
According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit comprises an electronic board having an inverter electronic supplying controlled current to the first or second motor unit according to the selected modulation mode.
Preferably the at least one motor unit is switched-off, when the (first) or a (second) detected apparatus operation parameter is above a second threshold value. In particular a switch-off may depend on an operation parameter different to the above described operation parameter. In case the second threshold value (switch-off threshold) is exceeded the first/second motor unit (and/or the motor control) is switched-off to avoid exceeding a temperature limit for electronic board and components, i.e. to prevent damage of electronic board components.
The apparatus may comprise a cooling fan unit for cooling an electronic board of the treatment apparatus by blowing cooling air towards the electronic board and/or by circulating air within the apparatus cabinet whereby the electronic board is cooled by the cooling air. The cooling fan unit may be activated when the or a detected apparatus operation parameter is above a third threshold value (fan threshold). In particular the electronic board may be a power supply board for operating the first motor unit (laundry treatment chamber motor) and/or process air motor (both may be one motor) and/or the electronic board for the second motor unit (refrigerant compressor motor). In particular the electronic board comprises an inverter control or is an inverter. For example the cooling fan unit may be a compressor cooling fan unit, which additionally cools down an inverter circuit.
When the operation parameter exceeds the third threshold value, the cooling fan unit is activated to prevent that a switch-off threshold (second threshold value) is exceeded. In other words the second threshold value has a higher value than the third threshold value. In case that the first and second (or more) variable speed motor units have first and second (or more) electronic boards, one board control may be master in view of the detected operation parameter, such that cooling of one board under the control criteria of this one board results in corresponding slave-cooling of the other board(s).
Preferably the selection of a modulation mode for operating at least one motor unit in dependency of the at least one detected operation parameter is started/initiated/enabled depending on one or more of the following parameters: an apparatus operation parameter T_inv; a drying program selector position; a program option selection; a drying program step; a drying process parameter; a laundry status; an ambient temperature; a time elapsed from the beginning of a laundry treatment cycle; a working parameter of the laundry treatment chamber, in particular laundry drum; a working parameter of a process air fan; a working parameter of a heat pump system; a motor unit working parameter; a user selection; a previous operation time of the laundry treatment apparatus; and an electrical parameter of the treatment apparatus power supply. Additionally or alternatively the value or level of the first, second and/or third threshold value is adjusted depending on one or more of the above mentioned parameters.
Examples of motor unit working parameters on basis of which the selection of a predetermined modulation mode is started/initiated/enabled are: current, voltage, phase, power consumption. Another option is that the motor unit (which provides the working parameters) may be not only the motor unit on which the discontinuous/continuous modulation is to be enabled, but it could be a second motor unit that may cause a change on a drying process parameter. E.g. a working parameter of the second motor unit (compressor motor) may start/initiate/enable a modulation mode selection for the first motor unit (drum motor).
An electrical parameter of the machine power supply may be current, voltage, frequency, and/or phase.
A laundry status may be laundry weight at the beginning of the drying program and/or actual laundry weight during drying program, a dryness/humidity level of the laundry, and/or the type of fabric (e.g. selected by a user “COTTON”, “WOOL”).
A drying process parameter may be a drying air temperature, a drying air pressure, an air flow rate, a drum and/or compressor speed, a desired final laundry humidity.
A program option selection may be for example “FAST” (shortened cycle duration), “ECO” (low energy consumption).
According to an embodiment, when the value of motor speed of the first/second motor unit is above a fourth threshold value or within a predetermined value range, the selection of a predetermined modulation mode for operating at least one motor unit in dependency of the at least one detected operation parameter is initiated/started. When the value of motor speed of the first/second motor unit is below the fourth threshold value or outside the predetermined value range, the first/second motor unit is operated in an initial modulation mode, in particular in continuous PWM mode.
Preferably the control by selection between the first and second operation parameter in dependency of the at least one operation parameter is enabled only, if a starting condition imposed on motor speed is verified. This is to avoid that a control unit driving the apparatus can call the inverter to change the motor control e.g. from the first power supply modulation mode (e.g. continuous modulation) to the second power supply modulation mode (e.g. discontinuous modulation) when the motor rotates below a predetermined speed. Below a predetermined motor speed the quality of motor control may decrease a lot. For example, only when the motor speed reaches or exceeds 1200-1300 rpm (i.e. the fourth threshold value), the operation parameter is detected and a corresponding modulation mode selected as described above for operating the first and/or second variable speed motor unit. Consequently, when the fourth threshold value is not reached or exceeded, the motor unit is driven in its initial (or presently used) modulation mode.
Preferably the detected operation parameter indicates at least one of the following: i) an operating state of an electronic board, e.g. a temperature of the electronic board, wherein the electronic board may comprise the inverter control, ii) an operating state of a heat pump system of the treatment apparatus, e.g. a refrigerant temperature, or iii) a temperature state of the treatment apparatus, e.g. an ambient/cabinet temperature.
According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one operation parameter is detected using a secondary operation parameter of an electronic board indicative of the at least one operation parameter. The at least one detected operation parameter may be an electronic board temperature, a motor temperature detected via the electronic board, and a current delivered by the electronic board to a motor exceeding a threshold value or exceeding a threshold averaged value. The secondary operation parameter (which is actually detected and which is indicative of the at least one operation parameter on basis of which the modulation mode is selected) may include one or more of: a voltage detected on the electronic board, a power or an averaged power provided by the electronic board, a current detected on the electronic board, and a voltage ratio detected on the electronic board. In particular the voltage, current and/or power for driving a or the motor unit.
Further, the detected operation parameter may be selected from one of the following variables: a temperature signal of an electronic board of the control unit, a temperature signal of a refrigerant circulating in a heat pump system, a temperature signal indicative of an ambient or environment temperature of the laundry treatment apparatus, or a combination of the afore mentioned temperature signals.
Preferably the at least one or the at least two detected temperature signals correspond to a temperature detected at one of the following positions: an electronic board or inverter position of an electronic board or inverter controlling a component of the heat pump system, an electronic board or inverter position of an electronic board or inverter controlling a motor for driving the laundry treatment chamber being a drum, a refrigerant fluid outlet position at the first or second heat exchanger, a refrigerant fluid outlet position at the compressor, the compressor, the expansion device, or a position in the air flow of the process air. I.e. the at least two temperature signals may be detected at a plurality of different positions, whereby a detailed picture of the (temperature) state of the apparatus is provided.
Further, according to the invention, another method of operating a laundry treatment apparatus, in particular a washing machine, a laundry dryer, a heat pump laundry dryer or a washing machine having a drying function, is provided. Unless otherwise mentioned, the elements, features and embodiments of the above described first method may be applied individually or in any arbitrary combination to the another method described in the following and vice versa.
In particular, the apparatus comprises a control unit controlling the operation of the treatment apparatus, a program or program option selection unit, a laundry treatment chamber for treating laundry, a detector unit for detecting at least one operation parameter of the treatment apparatus, and a variable speed motor unit adapted to drive a motor with a variable speed, wherein the variable speed motor unit is adapted to drive the motor by applying a first power supply modulation mode and applying at least a second power supply modulation mode, wherein the modulation type of the first and second power supply modulation mode are different of each other.
According to the method and in dependency of the selected program or program option or in dependency of the at least one apparatus operation parameter, the control unit is adapted to: i) disable the second power supply modulation mode such that it cannot be applied by the variable speed motor unit, or ii) disable all power supply modulation modes except the first power supply modulation mode such that the variable speed motor unit can only apply the first power supply modulation mode. For example, a drying program option “ECO” (energy-saving cycle) is selected by a user. Subsequently, an energy-saving power supply modulation mode is selected, which is applied throughout the selected and executed apparatus operation program.
In an embodiment, a program and/or program option selection unit for user input may be provided, e.g. input panel with selectors and/or switches and/or touch buttons. For example the selected program or program option is or is determined by one or more of: a drying program selector position; a program option selection; a user laundry type selection; a user selected noise reduction option; and a user selected laundry load selection.
For example the value(s) of the thresholds could be set such that only discontinuous modulation is selected (under “normal” ambient conditions of the apparatus, e.g. ambient temperature 20-30° C.). The first threshold value may be set at a value lower than 10° C. Under “normal” conditions a detected operation parameter (e.g. a temperature value of the treatment apparatus) would always be above the low first threshold value, such that generally e.g. discontinuous modulation would be selected. This embodiment could be used for example when i) the treatment apparatus starts operation on a more stressing environment (e.g. high temperature, or cycle start just after another one), ii) a large amount of laundry has been detected (e.g. 9 kg, 100% wet), or iii) an alarm of motor control heat sink temperature has been generated (i.e. heat generation has to be minimized).
Preferably there is a first group of programs in which the variable speed motor unit can be operated selectable with the first or second power supply modulation mode and there is a second group of programs which is exclusively operated in only on e of the supply modulation modes. In this context a group of programs means at least one program. Preferred at least two programs and/or options have to be selected. In particular under “normal” operation conditions the control unit and/or the variable speed motor unit is “free” in its control to switch between the first and the second mode, wherein this “freedom” is restricted by the described another control method. This restriction may be fully applied as an embodiment to the above method of parameter control according to claim 1 and embodiments thereof.
An example for enabling modulation change only in relation to a specific cycle or user selected option is the selection of a silent (night) cycle option. It would not be reasonable to select discontinuous modulation on the silent (night) cycle option, as discontinuous modulation causes an increase of motor noise. Since the general noise of the machine in a silent cycle option is lower, it could be more probable that a user could sense a “strange noise” from the motor. So in this case, to limit the temperature, fan cooling could be used exclusively.
Preferably the (first) variable speed motor unit may be motor unit adapted at least to drive the treatment chamber, and/or a second variable speed motor unit for operating a compressor circulating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of the laundry treatment apparatus.
The above described apparatus operation parameter of any of the embodiments may be one or more of the following: a drying program step; a drying process parameter; a laundry status, e.g. the laundry humidity, the laundry load and/or the laundry type; an ambient temperature; a time elapsed from the beginning of a laundry treatment cycle; a working parameter of the laundry treatment chamber, in particular laundry drum; a working parameter of a process air fan; a working parameter of a heat pump system; a motor unit working parameter; a previous operation time of the laundry treatment apparatus; and an electrical parameter of the treatment apparatus power supply.